Propeller or the like



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,834

M. D. THOMPSON PROPELLER on THE LIKE Filed Nov. 9, 1927 B 5 qmmmlmmhm. I

ammo doc MILTON-D'THOMPSON Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

MILTON D. THOMPSON, OF FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROPELLEB OR THE LIKE.

Application filed November 9, 1927. Serial No. 232,155.

My invention relates to propeller wheels and more especially to that type of wheel in which the blades, when not revolving with the shaft, may feather or turn on their axes a certain amount.

This type of wheel is quite largely used on sail craft equipped with auxiliary motor driven propulsion and is extremely valuable in case the sails are used as the propelling agent. a I

In feathering the blades, their sharp entering edges cut the water in a plane coincident with that of the direction of travel of the boat or ship and therefore do not offer a large amount of resistance to the movement of the latter when under sail power.

In some types of feathering propeller wheels a tube or sleeve is employed to actuate the blades in bringing. them into feathering position. This sleeve encases the shaft, extends from the propeller inboard and is operated by a lever or screw arrangement.

, This style of construction necessitates a certain amount of complication in the mechanism and its operation is often attended with more or less difficulties, requires constant attention and frequent repalrs, which, on account of the inaccessibility of the parts, are quite apt to be expensive.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a feathering blade which is automatic in its action, requiring no outside mechanical devices to bring it into the feathering positiomdepending wholly on the force of the water against the-rearward portion of the blade to produce the result.

Another object is to eliminate many of the parts required in the sleeve or positively operated types. In doing this I am enabled to make a much stronger propeller, insuring longer life and fewer replacements. It will also relieve. the engineer of the craft of all care or thought relative to the feathering of the blades. as immediately upon stopping his motor the blades automatically adjust themselves to the fore and aft, or feathering position. I

Other objects of my invention willbe apparent from a consideration of the detailed description hereinafter found in my specification when taken in connection with the accom- I panying: drawing wherein a preferable no tending from the g the hub. ,The stop bars 9 are turnedat their outer ends to form the slopes 10 and 11. These -way between each pair the stop bars bodiment of my invention is shown and in which like characters of reference refer to similar parts in all of the several views.

The invention here disclosed is an improve. ment on. the propeller described in United States Patent 1,626,056 granted to me and to which reference may be had.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of my three-blade feathering propeller wheel.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken through the casing showing some parts in full.

Figure 3 is a view, in proved hub member.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the forward and rearward parts of the casing.

Figure 6 is a view, in perspective, of one of the propeller blades. I

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the propeller shaft, 2 is the blade, 3 is the hub of the blade and 4 is a channel in the hub. .Pintles 5 and 6 are positioned onthe under surface of the blade hub in the manner shown in the drawing. Both pintles should be on the same side ofa line passing through the center, or, in other words, the arcuate distance between them should hundred and eighty (180) degrees.

Secured toshaft 1 is the hub 7 which is provided with a flange 8 at one end thereof and having the tracks or stop bars 9 spaced along the periphery, the tracks being just below the peripher of. the flange 8 and exfl ange to the other end-of perspective, of my imslopesfulfill a function which will be set forth hereinafter. Disposed about midv of stop bars is a trip bar 12 Whichextends one half the length of and tapers to a point. The areas between the stop bars and trip bars provide pin ways for the pintles.

The casing 12 consists of the hubdnclosing portions 13 and 14 and the conical cap 15. The hub inclosing portions are provided with complementary recesses 16, 17. The thickness of theshell at these openings being such as to fill the channel 4 in hub 3 of the blade and allows the latter to oscillate therein'at certain timer, but prevents its withdrawal preferably be less than one 2.3. on. the shaft.

v casing.

the flange on the thrust bushing from the casing. Straps 18 are provided on the forward half of the casing, having threaded openings 19 therein by means of which a screw may be passed through the: rearward halt I l into the said threaded openings and thereby secure the two halves together.

The outer-end of the aft portion; of thecasing is provided with a threaded opening for the reception of the thrust bushing 20.1. The thrust bushing has a flange portion 21- i which abuts the hub 7; A; washer '22 is*pro- Videdand this is secured in place by the nut. The thrust bushingis of" sufiicientlengthto project beyond the rear.- ward half of the casing and by: it may be screwedupon' said thrust-bushing into contact with the rearwardhalf ofthe A. notch 24 may be providediin the apex-{oi the conical endto assist-in itsappli- V cation or removal.

The hub is reduced at its outer end as shown at 21 andlthiS reduced portion, in conjunction with the washer 22, forms acha-nnelfor and prevents the thrust bushing from leaving thehub. It will beiseen that bylturning thethrust bushing the. casing 12 turns about the hub carrybevel tating thethrustbushing to 1 is increased.

P peller blades resistance of the water V of the blades will cause them-to oscillate and ing' the'propeller blades therewith. As the propeller blades advance along the stop bars,

the outermost pintle engages the, slope or bevellQ and changesthe pitch ofthepropell'erj blades, It is the function o fthe slope or to changeythe pitch. By rotating'the thrust bushing to theright, the casing and move backward'ly and the pitch iscorrespondingly flattened. By ro therleft,the pitch The mode of operation is as follows: When the propeller going forwardor aft thepintles on ,t-hepropeller blades both contact either one of the opposing faces ofthe complementary stop bars depending upon the direction of travel. l/Vhen: the motive power stops, the; shaft remains stationary and the against the back side cause the: pintles to straddle the trip bars. The pintles on the blade'hub straddle-the trip bars when the position, The trip bars assist in changing ;the propeller blades from ahead to reverse propulsion by actingas a bumper or trip for the rear pintle;, V

All that has been said'above in the description of my preferred embodiment is offered by way ,oi'illustration and not limitation.

"do not wishito be limited to th'e'e iact; structure of'the preferredembodlment shown and described, onto any particularmaterial used in the construction of parts, or the design-of parts, but desire protection" as against any variations instruct-are which utilize the prin ciple of my invention and fall within the purthe conicalf end "1.51s provi'dedjwith a threaded interior wheresaid propeller blades are in the-feathering blades, stopbars: 011 said view of my invention and are within the spirit and scope of the following claims The invention having is'olai'med as new and useful is':

1; A feathering and reversingpropeller,

J comprising in combination a shaft, a hub listedionsaid.shaft, acasing surrounding said hub, propeller blades, said propeller blades being. mounted in the periphery of said casing, each of said propeller blades having piiitle 'rn'eans'on: its: base extending to said been set forth, what fixed on said shaft,aioasing surroundingsaid hub, propeller blades, said1propeller blades being mounted in the periphery of said: casing, each of said propeller blades. having pintle means on: lEtSFlIQI-SB; extending; to. said hub,=sai'd hub-having alternately disposed stopping means and tripping; means which providepin ways for said pintle means, and means on said casing coacting :with said hub whereby the. pitch:- of said propeller blades may be regulated;v V V 4'. A :propellen comprisingin combination a shaft, a hubon said: shaft, a' casingsurrounding said hub, propeller blades movably mounted on said casing-,,.-spaced-anchoring means on" said hub for'holding said propeller blades-in'a propelling condition during the rotation of said; shaft, means intermediate of saidspaced anchoring mean-stop actuating blades from the ahead to the reverse 'p;osition,. said z'tnchori ng means having a bevel thereon, .aEthrust'member on said caslngcowctingwith said bevel whereby-the pitch of" the propeller blades maybe regulated; r

" "'5; A feathering andreversing propeller,

comprising in. combination ashaft, a a hub fixed on said shaft, propeller blades contact ing' saidhub, .p-intle means: on said propeller hub trip; bars intermediate said:- stop:v A bars extending substantially one half the distance and taperingto a point, said .pintle means beingadapted 'to slide: alonggsaid stop barsiand contacting one of said I trip bars :to swing, to the opposite stop; barrwhereby the; propeller reverses its position, said base having a reduced portion,

a washeriof larger diameter than the hub be- 'd hub by a nut whereby a ing secured to sax channel is formed, a thrust bushing threaded into one end of said casing having a flange which is received in said channel, said stop bars having a bevel at the end adjacent said channel, said thrust bushing being adapted to be rotated and cause movement of the propeller blades along the stop bars whereby the said pintle means are acted upon by said bevel to regulate the pitch of said propeller blades.

Signed at Fall River in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts,' this twentyeight day of October, 1927.

MILTON D. THOMPSON. 

